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Plan to increase resilience to coastal fl ooding

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Still Shocking: Images from last years’ storms.

Still Shocking: Images from last years’ storms.

A DELIVERY plan to make Wales more resilient to coastal flooding was launched on Monday (Jan 5) by Natural Resources Wales (NRW). Since the devastating storms that hit communities along the coast of Wales 12 months ago the priority has been to repair and restore defences damaged in the storms. The delivery plan issued today outlines how the 47 recommendations made by NRW in April 2014, following an in-depth review into the impacts of last winter’s fl ooding, are being implemented. It details progress to-date and what more needs to be done, by all the organisations involved.

Five of the actions have already been completed with work on another 35 well under way, including: Ongoing work to evaluate improvements at locations around the coast of Wales which either experienced fl ooding or came close to fl ooding during last winter’s storms. For example, local improvements have been made for areas that fl ooded in Rhyl, with work ongoing to evaluate longer term options. The Welsh Government has launched its consultation on ‘Flood and Coastal Investment Programme’, which looks at how future investment in defences should be prioritised. Continued work developing fl ood plans for fl ood risk communities through NRW’s Flood Awareness Wales programme, including signing up a further 1,156 people to the free Floodline Warnings Direct service. A permanent offshore buoy deployed off the Pembrokeshire coast to improve fl ood forecasting. Preparatory work for a major coastal fl ooding exercise in March 2015.

Publication of the assessment of environmental change experienced during the storms. Work on the remaining seven recommendations will begin in January 2015. The storms in January 2014 caused millions of pounds worth of damage, hundreds of homes and businesses were fl ooded and even the natural environment and landscape of Wales were changed. But although the storms were devastating in many places, the existing coastal defences protected around 74,000 properties from fl ooding – avoiding an estimated £3 billion of damage. Also today – as part of the commitment in the plan to sustain investment in defences – the Welsh Government announces £1.9m towards a new flood defence for Rhyl.

The funding marks the final phase of the coastal defence scheme which, once completed, will mean a reduced flood risk to over 2,600 homes and businesses in the area. On a visit to Garford Road and West Rhyl coastal defence scheme, Carl Sargeant, the Minister for Natural Resources, said: “This term of Government will see over £245 million of Welsh Government investment in fl ood and coastal erosion risk management, supported by an additional £50 million from Europe. This demonstrates our commitment to protecting communities by managing the risks of flooding.

“I’d like to commend Natural Resources Wales, who have today published their delivery plan to take forward the recommendations contained within the Coastal Flooding Review. I am pleased to be able to announce an additional £150,000 of funding for NRW in the next financial year to assist in progressing the recommendations.

I look forward to continuing to work with them and relevant organisations across Wales to ensure that we do all that we can to mitigate against the effects of fl ooding and keep our communities safe” Jeremy Parr, Head of Flood Risk Management for NRW, told The Herald: “Although we are 12 months on from the storms which affected so many communities in Wales, people still continue to feel their impact. “And with the risk of coastal flooding likely to increase in the future due to climate change we are likely to see more extreme weather like this in the future so we all have to understand that increased risk and how we can prepare for when it happens again.

“The aim of this delivery plan is to make further improvements to the support to communities before, during and after a flood, working together with local authorities, the Welsh Government, emergency services and responders and with communities.” The delivery plan focuses on six areas: Sustained investment in coastal risk management, improved information on coastal fl ood defence systems, greater clarity of roles and responsibilities of agencies and authorities, assessment of skills and capacity, more support to communities to become more resilient, delivery of locally developed plans for coastal communities.

 

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Community

Free children’s workshops to bring fantasy sea creatures to life in Milford Haven

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Creative Festival of the Sea sessions offer hands-on fun for families at Waterfront Gallery

CHILDREN will have the chance to create their own magical sea creatures next month as part of Milford Waterfront’s popular Festival of the Sea celebrations.

The Waterfront Gallery, based in the Old Sail Loft on Discovery Quay, Milford Haven, will host free Fantasy Sea Creatures workshops on Sunday (Mar 1).

The sessions will run from 10:30am to 12:30pm and 1:30pm to 3:30pm, with two activities taking place at the same time, led by resident artists Lesley Dearn and Gina Hughes.

Designed as drop-in sessions suitable for children aged four and over, each 30-minute workshop will accommodate up to six children at a time. All materials and tools will be provided, although children must be accompanied by an adult.

Gina Hughes will lead a clay modelling activity where participants can explore textures while creating fish and small sea creatures inspired by those found along the Pembrokeshire coastline. Children will be able to take their creations home after the session.

Meanwhile, Lesley Dearn’s workshop will introduce simple watercolour printing, blotting and stencilling techniques to help children design magical fantasy sea creatures. Participants will then bring their designs to life using drawing, painting and collage, producing artwork to keep.

Organisers say the workshops offer a valuable opportunity for children and families to enjoy creative, screen-free time together while exploring imagination and artistic materials in a relaxed environment.

The Waterfront Gallery is one of southwest Wales’s leading art venues and is a registered charity. Run by artist volunteers, it is also home to the Wales Contemporary Annual Competition.

For more information, contact Nicola Schoenenberger via email at [email protected].

 

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Charity

Tenby golf captain raises more than £8,000 for hospice charity

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Fundraising year inspired by personal experience of end-of-life care

TENBY GOLF CLUB has announced that £8,360.68 has been raised for the Paul Sartori Foundation after a year of fundraising led by club captain Heather Morgan.

Heather’s captaincy was particularly notable as she is only the second female captain in the club’s history since it was founded in 1888. Her choice of charity was inspired by personal experience, following the care and support provided to her mother by the hospice-at-home charity.

Her mother, who lived to the age of 97, was able to remain at home during her final days thanks to the support of Paul Sartori’s clinical team.

Heather said she could not have managed without the compassion and professionalism of the staff, who supported both her mother and the wider family during a difficult time. She therefore chose the charity not only to raise funds, but also to increase awareness of the services available to families across Pembrokeshire.

The fundraising year included a packed programme of well-supported events, including a charity golf day, Captain’s Day, and a popular night golf competition. Members and guests also supported quiz nights with themed food, a special performance by Tenby Male Voice Choir, as well as Easter and Christmas raffles.

Joanne Lutwyche, Events and Fundraising Officer for the Paul Sartori Foundation, said: “Becoming a charity of the year is a great privilege for us, and we always aim to support our community fundraisers as much as possible during the time we are chosen.

“Our fundraising and events team have been astonished by the generosity of the golfers throughout the year. We have been invited to support events at Tenby Golf Club, and they have been great fun to be part of.”

The charity has thanked Heather Morgan, Tenby Golf Club, and everyone who contributed to the fundraising efforts, saying the money will help provide hospice-at-home care for people living with life-limiting illness across Pembrokeshire.

The funds raised will enable more families to receive care and comfort in their own homes at the most difficult times.

Photo caption: Heather Morgan with Brendan Monnelly, General Manager at Tenby Golf Club (Pic supplied).

 

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New project launched to preserve Pembrokeshire’s hidden place names

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Communities invited to share historic names of fields, lanes and landmarks

A NEW project has been launched to uncover and protect historic place names across the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park — from forgotten fields to little-known lanes — before they disappear from living memory.

The initiative, led by the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority in partnership with the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales (RCAHMW), will gather local knowledge from communities throughout the Park and record it in the national List of Historic Place Names for Wales.

A series of community workshops will take place during 2026, giving residents the opportunity to share names passed down through generations, including those linked to fields, footpaths, buildings and local landmarks.

All information collected will be compiled by Dr James January-McCann, Place Names Officer at the RCAHMW, and formally recorded to help safeguard this cultural heritage for future generations.

Pembrokeshire’s landscape reflects a rich linguistic history shaped by Welsh, English, Nordic and Flemish influences. Organisers say capturing this knowledge now is vital, not only to preserve local identity but also to support landowners, communities and the National Park Authority in future land management and heritage projects.

Tomos Jones, Community Archaeologist at the Park Authority, said: “This is a fantastic project that empowers local communities to come forward with their place names knowledge. The information can then better inform our understanding of the National Park area and help us develop relevant projects.”

Dr James January-McCann added: “Given Pembrokeshire’s rich linguistic history, this is a brilliant opportunity to discover how strong those influences remain today, and to deepen people’s knowledge of their heritage.”

With the National Eisteddfod taking place in Pembrokeshire this year, the project will also use the festival as a platform to reach a wider audience, including a dedicated talk supported by the Eisteddfod team.

Six community workshops are currently scheduled for 2026, with the ambition to expand the programme in future years.

The first workshop will take place at St Davids City Hall on Wednesday (Feb 18), with members of the public invited to drop in at any time between 10:00am and 4:00pm to share information or speak with the project team. Further sessions will be promoted locally and through social media.

Caption: A series of place name workshops will be held to capture the rich linguistic heritage of the local area.

 

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